


Best Buddy

by Arel_Rhink



Series: Best Buddy [1]
Category: Rhett & Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-18 01:05:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7293223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arel_Rhink/pseuds/Arel_Rhink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link grows attached to a very special doll. He carries it and talks to it everywhere he goes, which gets him in trouble in various ways throughout the years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You got me a… doll?” I stare at the present with a half-confused, half-embarrassed face. Thankfully, I didn’t have any of my very few friends from school to see what my mom gifted me with. The plush doll looked back at me with his greenish hand-stitched eyes and a wide dimpled smile that seemed to mock me. I noticed the turquoise felt heart sewn on the little guy’s chest and cringed at how girly it made the doll seem. “Mommmm!!! Dolls are for girls! I thought you said I was gonna get a big boy bike…”

“Honey, I told you. We’re saving up so we can get you a bike for either Christmas or your communion next spring.” A couple flashes sparked from my grandma’s camera as Mom moved nearer, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Besides, Link… This isn’t a doll.” She takes the box from my tinier hands and displays the toy like that lady on Wheel of Fortune. She points to the text on the box as she reads their little advertising spurts. “This is a Best Buddy: the perfect best friend for children of all ages. Each buddy is individually made – no two buddies look exactly alike. Not even their outfits! They’re customized to fit their personalities.” She took the plushy out of the box and unstrapped him from the backboard before handing him back to me. “But all Best Buddies have their own precious heart to give their best friend.”

My eyes lock onto that little piece of felt on the doll’s chest. As much as it makes me feel like I had been given a voodoo doll, I feel a strange pull towards it… like I should hug it. A calm smile stretches across my pudgy face as I hold the buddy to my chest with my arms squeezing it tight. For a moment, I feel something like a warmth of some sort – an aura perhaps – encircling my embrace. It’s a little strange, but it feels comfortable and safe at the same time.

“Thanks, Mom,” I respond softly, keeping my new toy pressed against my torso. She plants a kiss on my forehead before wishing me a happy birthday. Granddad walks up beside me to get a better look at my Best Buddy.

“Well, he’s a nice-looking fella, isn’t he?” he asks, patting my back a little too harshly, pushing my body forward a tad. “What’cha gonna name him?” I take a good look at the doll in my hands. I examine the simple, red v-neck tee and how well it suits his dark, tight jeans. His dirty-blonde hair seems to stand upwards on his head. His ensemble seems a little odd, yet stylish at the same time – maybe like he was sporting a style that would be popular in the future. Who knows? That makes him cool in my six year-old perspective. I examine the doll further as I collect conceptualized details about his personality that could aid in the naming process. The longer I study his face, the better I imagine a taller, maybe a bit older boy… like the brother I’ve always wanted, but as an only child of a single mother, I can only make do with my imagination. If this doll were a live human, he’d probably be really friendly and funny, making him be a blast to hang around with. His stature gives him a soft-spoken personality, yet his bodily proportions and defined eyebrows imply that he would stand up in a fight – maybe even win a fight. I’d hope he’d protect me like my imaginary brother would… Multiple fitting names ran through my brain until I found one that fit the bill rather nicely.

“He looks like… a Rhett to me,” I finally respond.

“Rhett, huh? Like Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind?” Granddad asks with a tiny chuckle. I have no idea what he’s referencing, but I just nod slowly like I know what he’s talking about. His laughs grow a bit more, and Mom pushes him away.

“Pa, don’t tease him. That’s a perfect name, Link. How ‘bout you take your new toys to your room while I finish preparing dinner?”

“Okay, Mom.” With that, I gather my new toys and clothes before scurrying away into the sweet privacy of my bedroom.

The minute I get to my room, I sit my Best Buddy down neatly in front of the pillows on the comforter of my bed before putting the other items away. I just put a new book on my shelf when I hear a soft noise… kind of like a voice. I immediately turn around and glance about the room to seek out the source.

“Hello?” I call out, half-hoping something would answer, and half-hoping my mind was just playing games with me. I step closer to my bed, thinking maybe there was someone or something hiding underneath it. “Somebody here?” I ask, peeking underneath the furniture.

“Up here!” calls a boy’s voice from above. The response startling me to the point of goose bumps forming on my arms and legs. I climb up onto my feet, yet see no one in sight.

“Who said that?”

“I did,” the voice spoke again. It sounds like it’s coming from Rhett. “I said your bed is really comfortable. I really like the dinosaur pattern. Dinosaurs are cool.”

“Uh… thanks. Dinosaurs are the best,” I respond, focusing on the doll sitting still on my covers.

“You seem confused. It’s me – Rhett! Your Best Buddy.” His little voice takes a cheery tone. I lift him up off the bed carefully, all the while examining him more thoroughly for something like a battery or such. He starts to giggle in my hand, and heat rises to my face in an instant. “Hey, stop! That tickles!!” he squeaks through his laughter.

“Oh, I’m sorry…”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, brother.” That last word catches me off-guard, and I smile at the doll in my hand… or should I say ‘best buddy’. Mom was right. He is more than just a doll. Suddenly this gift isn’t a bad one after all. “Your name’s Link, right?” I hum in affirmation. “Well, Link, I have a good feeling that you and I are gonna be the best of friends.” My smile grows at the thought of developing a stronger friendship with my new gift… no, with Rhett. My best buddy.

“Yeah. I think so too, Rhett.” My mind fills up with images of the two of us hanging out together, but with a more human version of Rhett based on his plushy appearance. We could go camping, have sleepovers, watch movies together, sing songs… the possibilities are endless – at least with my human representation of him. Maybe the more I think of Rhett as a real person, he could bond better than just by talking to him. “What else do you do, other than talk?”

“Well,” Rhett starts, “as a Best Buddy, it’s my duty to help you out throughout life, whether it’s for school, emotional troubles, or even finding a girlfriend.” He giggles at that last part. I just cringe at the thought of having a girlfriend. I’d never think of being anything more than friends with those cootie-filled girly girls. I don’t even like when my mom teases me every time I even talk to a girl. It embarrasses me every time. Rhett giggles again, probably noticing the disgust written all over my face, before continuing. “I’m just messing with ya, buddy. But anyway, I’m a really good listener and will try to give the best advice I have. Also, I give free hugs.” I giggle softly at that last addition to his little résumé.

A couple knocks on my door disrupt our conversation. My mom’s voice is coming from behind it. “Link, honey, dinner’s ready. Make sure you wash your hands before coming to the table.”

“Okay, Mom,” I call back. I start to rest Rhett back on my bed when he starts talking again.

“Can I come too?”

“Huh?”

“It’s your birthday, and I wanna be there to celebrate with you. Besides, whatever your mom made smells delicious. I’d love to see what she cooked up.”

“Well, okay. Sure!” I hold him against my chest as I head towards my bedroom door. He stops me before I even touch the doorknob.

“Hold on,” he says. “Because I’m your Best Buddy, no one else can hear me. You’ll have to keep the talking thing between us. That means no talking in front of people, or doing anything that could expose my ability to speak with you. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. Your secret’s safe with me, Rhett.”


	2. Chapter 2

“How do I look?” I ask, looking over to Rhett resting against a pillow on my bed. I adjust my shirt, ensuring that it’s perfectly tucked all the way around my waist.

“Forget sixth grade, Link. You could fit right into middle school – maybe even high school!” he responds, sitting motionless as always. “But you know what might look cool though? If you parted your bangs to the side. Very nifty. I bet the coolest, most popular kids wear their hair like that.”

“Aw, I don’t care about popularity. Most people think I’m weird anyway,” I mumble, fiddling with the folded hems of my sleeves.

“HEY!” Rhett barks, his voice snapping through the air like a whip. “There’s nothing wrong with that! In fact, your weirdness is one of the things I love most about you.” My face flushes completely at the compliment. Typically, my family’s all who give me any words of affirmation, and after living with them for eleven years I’ve sort of grown to let them go through one ear and out the other. Receiving a compliment from someone else felt a lot more meaningful, regardless of the fact that it came from a doll. He was still my best friend, and we have been inseparable during the past five or so years.

“You… love that about me? Really…? Why?” I fix my gaze on those stormy green threads stitched to form his warm, friendly eyes.

With a tiny giggle, he responds, “That’s what makes you fun to hang around with. And I’m sure humor like yours could get you any date you wanted.” His words warm my heart, but this isn’t the first time he’s brought dating into the conversation… and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

“You talk about that a lot,” I comment as I sweep my bangs over to the right. My brows furrow impatiently at the brown strands as they stubbornly avoid my placement, floating right back into place on my forehead. “Dating, I mean… What makes you think I’d be interested in stuff like that?”

“I dunno… That topic just likes to take over my mind I guess. Maybe I just want someone for my own, you know? Someone I could hold – someone to comfort me when I’m feeling down… I guess… I’d just want the same for you, Link… You’re my best friend, and I care about you, buddy.” His upper body flops forward a bit, making his head weigh over in a sulking position. My lip quivers at the sight. I shuffle my shoeless feet across my room to return him to his previous position. The moment I see his smiling face once again, I shoot back a grin of my own. “Thanks, Link.”

“Anything for you, man.” There’s a few seconds of stillness filling the room for a moment, making me feel a bit anxious. He’s usually more upbeat and vocal. I wonder what’s up with him this time.

My friend clears his throat to kill the obnoxious silence before continuing our conversation. “I, uh… I think your mom has some hairspray in her room.”

“Huh?”

“For your bangs. First day of sixth grade, don’t you remember? You wanna look all spiffy for your teachers.” That’s true. I do want to impress my teachers. And my hair parted on the side like this does look nice… I give a small nod to my little buddy before taking off towards Mom’s room.

Mom is down the hallway, near the kitchen. I can hear her chatting with someone on the wall phone. I’ll try to be quick. Go in her room, take the spray over to the mirror, put it on, put it back, and then leave. She’ll never know I used it. I creep down the hall and dart through her open bedroom door without being detected. Even without the lights on in her room I can see the spray can on her nightstand. Keeping my body low, I tiptoe across the floor.

My foot slides a bit and forms an accidental lump in the throw carpet beside the bed. I stop moving to make sure Mom didn’t hear me scuffle. I exhale in relief when I conclude that I’m still in the clear.

I arrive at the nightstand and quickly grab the can of hairspray. As I turn and make for the exit, I trip over that lump in the rug and slip all the way down to the floor. The can punctures against something, but a big puff of chemicals clouds up the room before I can process what happens.

The loud pop – and probably the evidence of smoke coming out of the room – brings my mom to examine the scene. I’ve never seen her so disappointed in me. I can’t blame her though. Here I am lying face flat on the floor of a huge, sticky, and toxic mess… and in my mother’s bedroom, nonetheless.

After receiving the lecture and punishment sentence, I mope on back to my room to change out of my ruined outfit. Of course. Clumsy little me can’t keep my feet on the ground for just one second. Why was I so foolish? I shouldn’t have even done what I did. Why did I even think it was a good idea?

Rhett.

I reenter my room with a vicious glare towards the doll on my bed.

“Link?! Oh my gosh, what happened to you?” he asked. His naïveté is pulling on my strings and I just don’t have the time or patience to deal with it. It’s his fault all this happened anyway. I march right up to the bed and snatch him up off the bed, lifting him straight up to my fuming face. “Whoa, whoa! Link, what’s wrong?”

“You wanna know what’s wrong?! I got in trouble! A sticky, messy kind of trouble!! Because of YOU, I can’t try out for the soccer team!!”

“Come on, buddy… I didn’t…”

“Oh, don’t ‘buddy’ me! I’ve been practicing for tryouts all month!! You know how badly I was looking forward to it!!”

“I know, but… Let’s just talk about this…”

“No!! I don’t wanna talk to you ever again!!” In the heat of the moment, I chuck Rhett across the room. His back bounces harshly against the wall and he lands flat on his front. I take my towel off the hook on my bedroom door and glare cruelly at the tiny doll. “Leave me alone…” I mutter with a sniffle before marching out into the hallway.

While on my way toward the restroom, I hear muffled sobs and whimpers emanating from my bedroom.

What have I done?

I slowly follow the cries to my doorway. My regretful eyes rest on the doll flopped over on the other side of the room. The sound of his little sobs and sniffles breaks the anger out of my heart, making room for all the sorrow and guilt flooding inside. With welled up eyes, I softly tread closer to my friend in despair. My hand shakes as I gently lift him up off the ground. Even though he has a smile stitched onto his face, I feel the misery lurking behind it. And it was all because of me.

I squeeze Rhett against my chest, holding him firmly against my empathetic heart. I nuzzle my tear-soaked face against the top of his soft, little head. “I’m so sorry… Are you okay?” I whispered between sobs of my own.

“That wall really did something to my back… but that’s not important,” Rhett answered. His sobs die down. “I’m sorry I got you in trouble… You looked great just the way you were. You didn’t need no… hairspray or anything.”

“No, I should’ve been more careful…” I comment, wiping the tears away with his smiling face. He mumbles in return to the motion.

“What was that for?” he asks when he’s able to speak again.

I sniffle once more. “I don’t know… I guess that’s just my way of letting people know how bad I feel.” I press him against my chest again, and I could swear I feel a warmth around me… like a mother’s embrace, but sweeter. Warmer. Softer. There’s something about it that makes my heart beat harder, and a smile glides across my face.


	3. Chapter 3

“I still can’t believe it though!” I enthuse. I throw myself onto my bed, sprawling my limbs out over the sides of my mattress. “Selena actually TALKED to me!!” I turn over to Rhett beside my head on my pillow. “Do you think she might actually like me back, or is she just being friendly?”

He pauses before answering, but even as he speaks there’s something off in the way he answers my question. He sounds… I don’t know, tired? Low on energy? Softspoken? “Well, who WOULDN’T like you, buddy?” he says. “I mean, you’re like, one in a million. The total package.” I gently adjust his position so I can see his face better. Now his body is resting on his side as his jade-threaded eyes stare back into my own. It always makes me feel more comfortable to see his face when he talks to me.

“What’s THAT supposed to mean?” I ask with a giggle.

“I mean… you’re smart… funny… and…” There was a brief pause. Times like these make me wish he was more visually sentient… like a human even. His emotions would be so much easier to read rather than just staring at a non-changing face of forced happiness. “Well, Selena has good taste if she really does like you,” he finally finished. “You’re special.”

With that, his body flops over on his stomach, burying his face into my pillow… seemingly out of shame. I’m quick to turn him back on his side. My hand stays steadily on his waist to keep him from falling over again.

“Thanks, man,” he mumbles.

“Are you okay, Rhett?” I ask softly. He lets out a teeny humming noise, which I have a hard time comprehending what he means by that. The air between us remains silent for a while more, making my nerves rattle. He’s normally bouncing off the walls when talking about the subject of girls, so I really don’t know why he’s acting so gloomy about it now that I’m the one to initiate the topic.

“What is it… that you like about Selena?” he finally asks. Hearing his soft voice helps me calm down about the silence eating away at my sanity. Heat rises to my cheeks at the thought of her. I tell him about how she ties her long hair in class so elegantly and with practiced ease… how when she speaks it sounds like angels singing… and how her eyes glow when she laughs or smiles. I mention that when she approached me at recess today and I made her giggle, I felt like wrapping my arms around her for a hug.

Rhett listens in silence until I reach that point in the story.

“Do you want to kiss her?” he asks. The question catches me off guard completely, and I stifle a gasp. I’m sure my whole face is as red as a tomato at this point, and a smile tries to creep across my lips.

“I… I don’t know…”

He goes silent again.

That’s when it hits me.

“Rhett… You don’t think I… like her more than I like you, do you?” His lack of an answer sends a pang to my heart. “Are you like, worried I won’t spend time with you as much? Or... jealous…?”

I hear an involuntary whimper emanate from the tiny doll.

Without hesitation, I bring him to my chest in a tight embrace, nuzzling his face with my own. “Oh, Rhett... I could never grow apart from you… or replace you for that matter,” I say softly, cuddling and smothering him with physical comfort and affection. He begins audibly sniffling like he’s been trying to bottle up his emotions. Like every time I wrap my arms around his plush, little body, that mysterious warmth returns with an embrace of its own. This ghostly affection has calmed me to sleep for years, and has become very therapeutic in many situations. “You hold a special place in my heart, Rhett, and there’s only enough room there for you.”

“Link…” he forces through a strained voice, “I…”

My lips press against him, leaving a small kiss on his soft forehead. I don’t know why. It just happens without the action even registering through my brain. It feels right. It… is right. His cloth-like skin heats up under the touch of my mouth as I press it more firmly against him. Now my face heats up in the moment. I release Rhett from my kiss, clearing any awkwardness with a chuckle.

“Let’s just go to bed. I’ll try not to bring Selena up unless you say something first, okay?” I ask with a grin.

“Sounds good, partner,” he answers. I can hear the smile in his voice, and knowing I helped his happiness return makes me squirm under my covers in sheer giddiness.

“Good night,” I whisper, keeping the smile pinned to my face with no effort whatsoever. I nuzzle my nose against his face as I hold him against my pillow.

“You too, Link.”


	4. Chapter 4

“You did finish your homework, right?” Rhett asks as I situate myself on my backyard swing. I position him perfectly on my lap as I begin kicking off. “You know how I feel when you do your homework last minute.”

“I know, I know. I didn’t have that much today,” I respond, smiling against the warm spring breeze as we swing back and forth on my playscape. “I got it done at lunch ‘cause I wanted to spend this beautiful day with my best buddy.”

“That’s me, right? You’re talking about me?”

“Yes,” I giggle. I notice my mom with her new fiancé watching me through the sliding glass door. They’re sitting at the dining room table, probably drinking iced tea or something. Her new fiancé already has it in his head that he’s gonna be my new dad, but I’m not fond of him. He seems to always be judging me and telling me to do stuff, like he thinks he can control my life. I wonder why he’s glaring at me like that. Now that I think about it, this might be the first time he’s seen me hang out with Rhett… since we’re usually together in my room. It’s a good day though, so I thought why not bring him outside and use the swings one last time before they’re taken down.

Rhett and I exchange some small talk and tell a couple jokes to each other for a while until I see Mom’s fiancé coming outside and moseying his way over to me. Feeling unsettled, I slow the swing to a stop as he comes nearer.

“Hey, Charles. Enjoying the swing while you can before next weekend?” he asks, scratching the thick brown mustache under his nose.

“Um, it’s Link. No one calls me Charles,” I respond in a low voice. He moves closer and squats down in front of me. He chuckles at the sight of Rhett sitting on my lap.

“This must be that doll your mom says you’re always playing with,” he says with a mocking tone. I clutch my best friend protectively, holding him against my chest as I squint at him. “It’s a beautiful day. Why aren’t you playing with your friends?”

He doesn’t even let me answer, and frankly, I don’t care to answer him. He’d probably snicker at whatever excuse I’d give him. “A kid your age must have plenty of friends by now. You’re what now, 13? You’re practically a grown man. Grown men don’t play with their little toys, they go hang out with the guys. You’re holding yourself back with that little doll, and you’ll never grow up.”

“What if I don’t wanna grow up?” I mutter grumpily.

Mom’s fiancé looks at me with a challenging glare. I squeeze Rhett harder against my chest, and can already feel the warm aura embracing me in return. I just wish that instead of forming this emotional shield around me, he could do something to physically help. But that would be impossible…

“You will eventually,” he sneers, standing back up to glower from above. “Even if it means taking that thing while you’re out of your room.” With that, he marches back to the house, glaring at me along the way. Chills quiver up my spine when his heated eyes meet mine one last time.

“I don’t know what your mama sees in that psycho,” Rhett comments.

I purse my lips together, and then breathe deeply to help me calm down. “I just wish I could stand up to him,” I mumble softly.

“If I could, I’d stand up to him for you. You don’t deserve to be pushed around by the likes of him.” Hearing those words warms my heart. I feel a lot better knowing I have support. My mind, however, continues racing. The man’s threatening words keep ringing in my head.

“I know one thing,” I whisper. My eyes lock on any and every window and door, hoping I won’t see Mom’s fiancé behind the glass. “I’m not letting you out of my sight – even if it means taking you to school, soccer, even the bathroom.”

“Wait, what?!?!”

“If he’s gonna be marrying my mom, I can’t trust leaving you alone for even a second. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want you to be taken away from me.” I feel his little body heat up in my hands. I’ve learned to interpret that as a blush, since he usually does it when I say something nice about him. “You’re a part of who I am, and if he doesn’t like that, then too bad.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part includes some violence and homophobic slurs.

The school bell rings, signaling the end of third period. My first day in high school isn’t nearly as bad as I had expected it to be… at least so far. Rhett’s been enjoying my classes with me, and we’re careful not to speak to each other in front of my classmates. As far as they’re concerned, he’s just a little lucky charm that I put on my desk for good luck. A lot of the girls here seem to think it’s cute, but I’ve been getting some weird looks from a couple guys. Most people are indifferent to him though, so I could care less. As long as my best buddy is safe from harm and keeping me company, we couldn’t be happier.

I walk into my indicated history classroom and situate myself at my preferred desk near the front so I can see and hear the teacher better. The teacher is sitting on the edge of her desk as the students slowly file in. I try to pay her no mind as I set up my desk, aligning my notebook and writing utensils perfectly squared. When I position my smiling friend on the corner of my desk, a voice catches me off guard.

“Oh, is that a Best Buddy?” my teacher asks with a twinkling smile. “My kid has one of those. He absolutely adores it.” She points at Rhett softly with a gleam in her eye. I’m a little hesitant, but I’m sure she means well. I give a small, nervous nod to the woman. Her dark brown eyes sparkle into her smile as she delicately lifts my friend from the table. “Oh, he’s a handsome one too. Such a precious smile. You’ve definitely given this little guy a lot of love throughout his life. What’s his name?”

I look toward the door. Plenty of students are still coming in, but it doesn’t seem like anyone’s paying attention to me or the teacher. I look back to her and mumble, “Rhett… His name is Rhett.”

She places him right back where he was on my desk, patting his head with her soft, russet hand. “Cute name,” she cooed. “It suits him well.” She goes back to her board and starts writing stuff on it with chalk.

“I like her,” Rhett suddenly whispers. “Best teacher ever.”

“She hasn’t even taught anything yet!” I whisper with a giggle.

“I know, but she’s really nice and has really soft hands.” I shake my head as he chuckles quietly to himself.

Soon enough, the bell rings again to signal the start of class. It’s a pretty easy day, since it’s the first day of classes. The teacher introduces herself as Mrs. Henderson, and has us all play a group introductory game. It’s funny how things like that never steer away from just elementary school. I guess it’s proved to be a good way of getting classmates to remember their peers’ names quicker. About half the students in the class I recognize from some of the three other classes I’ve already had today, some even from homeroom. A lot of them seem really nice and a lot of fun… but there’s one thing that catches my attention. This one guy who has been in all my classes so far keeps glaring at me for some reason. His name’s John if I’m not mistaken. I try to avoid eye contact with him, but it’s like his judgmental glower keeps reeling me back in. I can’t help but notice his dark, menacing eyes flick between me and Rhett.

I still feel his gaze from across the room as we continue class.

The bell eventually rings, signaling the end of class and the beginning of the first lunch wave, which happens to be my lunch wave according to my schedule. I gather my things hurriedly in attempt to get to lunch as soon as possible so I’m not stuck in line for twenty minutes. As I power-walk through the halls, worming my way through the crowd, I feel something tug on my backpack, stopping me from moving forward. Before I know it, I’m being dragged into the boys’ bathroom. I’m pushed to the ground with my hands and knees throbbing against the linoleum tiles. I look up to see John looking down at me with furrowed brows and his chubby arms crossed at his chest.

“So what’s with you, huh?” he sneers, crinkling his nose like a raisin. “I’ve heard of a teacher’s pet, but not a teacher’s baby.”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!” I whine, wincing at the pain in my palms and kneecaps. John kneels down to my level and grabs my shirt, hauling me across the floor and slamming me against the wall beside the sinks.

“I saw how the teachers reacted to your stupid doll. I know what game you’re trying to play, and it’s not cool. In fact, it’s weird as hell.”

“Cut it out, man! I’m not playing a game! I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”

Before saying anything further, his foot thumps me hard in the gut. I let out a loud grunt as tears begin welling up my eyes.

“Shut up! The only idiots who carry around dolls in school are babies, girls, or queers! So which one are you?” He kicks me again harder, but in the groin this time. I yell sharply in pain. “Well, you got balls, so you ain’t a girl – and you sure as hell ain’t an infant!” He picks me up like I’m a pillowcase and shoves me into the sink. I yell again at the crushing pain in my lower abdomen as it presses against the porcelain sink. “So you must be a queer!” He takes a firm clutch of my hair and shoves my head forward, holding my face flat against the mirror. “I’m not gonna let some baby-faced fag get better grades than me just because the teachers think you’re CUUUTE and PREECIOUS!!” I hear the zipper of my backpack being opened violently, and I already have a bad feeling of what’s gonna happen next.

“Stop! Pleeease!!” I plead, crying aggressively against my own reflection.

“What, you afraid I’m gonna hurt your little friend??” John holds Rhett up so I can see him in the mirror.

“Put him back!! Leave him alone!! Please just stop!!!”

He turns Rhett to face him. He snickers for a short moment. “Aww… Your little buddy’s got a cutesy wootsy heart on his chest…” he mocks smugly. My eyes grow wide in fear at the terrifying reflection. In a struggled motion, he shreds the turquoise heart from Rhett’s body. With a sick, twisted smile, he lifts the torn and misshapen heart and lets it dangle from his stubby fingers. “And now it doesn’t.”

The sight hurts me so much, no words could escape my trembling lips. I can’t even breathe as my heavy tears pour down my bruising face.

“Awww, you crying??”

In a quick motion, he twists and rips the head off Rhett’s body.

“NOOOO!!!! RHETT!!!!” I howl in complete anguish.

“Oh my god. Maybe you really are a baby… and a wimp too,” he comments with disgust written all over his haughty face.

“HEY!!” a booming voice echoes through the bathroom. Oh, good. A teacher must’ve heard the ruckus from the hallway. “YOU LEAVE THAT KID ALONE!”

Before I could process what was going on, I’m being tugged to the ground, and John’s all pushed up against the wall by a large figure. In too much of a panic to watch the fight, I gather the fallen pieces of my best friend. The torn and disembodied pieces of cloth in my hand felt light and lifeless. His smiling face only teases me, trying to tantalize me into thinking everything’s okay. But it’s not. It doesn’t take long for me to break out into full-out sobbing and wailing as I pull my backpack to me and fish out the mini sewing kit I needed for my fifth period home education class. My hands tremble uncontrollably as I attempt to poorly sew his pieces back together.

I look at my sloppy, misshapen mess of a sewing job, and just bawl harder at the still lifeless form in my quivering hands. “Rhett… Rhett, say something!” I whisper through a shuddered breath. “Rhett, I need to know if you’re okay…”

He doesn’t answer.

More tears pour relentlessly down my strained face at the thought of never hearing his voice again… never having someone as special to me as he was. What we had was something I could hardly fathom, and he was just a manmade piece of cloth. It always felt like there was something else there – something I can’t put into words.

But right now, all I feel in my hands is a floppy form with a permanent smile that I don’t even want to look at anymore. Just seeing his face could send me to tears and a broken heart. I pull the doll to my chest, sobbing recklessly.

“Rhett…” I whisper through a shuddered breath and a shattered heart. My eyes scrunch closed as I rock myself back and forth on the dirty tiled floor.

“Hey…” a voice calls. I open my reddened eyes to see a pair of sneakers. Those feet are too long to be John’s. “That kid’s gone. He won’t pick on you anymore.” I follow his long legs up to see a face hidden in shadow from the luminescent ceiling light shining directly behind his head, giving him a kind of halo effect. I continue staring at the magnificent sight, completely speechless – breathless even. He moves down to kneel before me. I can see his features more clearly now, and even without the light shimmering behind him he was quite the sight to behold. His large, greenish eyes gaze into my vulnerable soul, and his little mouth stretches into a slight smirk just wide enough for dimples to form on his round cheeks. There’s something about this boy that feels… safe… comfortable.

“I’m uh… sorry about your friend here,” he blushes, indicating the lifeless doll in my still trembling hands. “He’s… He’s a cute one too.” I clutch the doll closer to my chest as my falling tears begin calming down. He flinches at my protective movement, but soon moves closer with utmost caution and care.

“Can I?” he asks in a soothing whisper. He reaches for the object in my hands. I don’t know what’s gotten over me, but for some reason I just let him take the doll from me. He gently cradles it in his large hand, all the while scooting my sewing kit close to him.

I watch optimistically as he stitches the pieces together with a lot more skill than I possess. Eventually, he moves the needle to the mangled, ruined heart sloppily stitched to the doll’s chest. Instead of fixing and realigning the stitching, he removes my work on it, detaching the turquoise piece of felt from the rest of the body.

“Wh-What are you doing?” I stutter urgently. He turns his head back to me with a calm, reassuring smile. He then takes out a sea foam green sheet of felt from my kit, as well as the pair of fabric scissors. He cuts into the fabric slowly and precisely.

“I, uh, used to have one of these as a kid. Lost it years ago. He was probably thrown out or donated like the rest of my childhood toys.” He finishes cutting out the beautifully shaped heart and prepares for sewing it onto the doll’s chest. He pauses with the needle just poking the little piece of fabric, and his head turns to look at me with a charming grin. “Now that I think about it, he looked a lot like you,” he breathes, finishing with a light chuckle. “Dark hair… bright blue eyes… defined jaw… and… that prominent cupid’s bow on the upper lip.”

His shimmering eyes seem glued to my mouth. I try my hardest to hide the blush fighting its way to my cheeks. I see a tint of red rise on his face as well.

He then shakes his head and goes back to what he was doing. I continued to watch curiously as the needle moves with complete ease in and out of the layers of fabric. A smile sneaks its way on my tingling face as he finishes. He quickly brushes off any stray threads or bits of dirt before handing the newly sewn doll to me.

“Here you go. Good as new,” he says with a staggered tone. He gathers my stuff and stands up, putting my stuff back in it a lot easier than it would be if he was sitting. I examine the handiwork on the doll. A bittersweet feeling overcomes me. The boy did a wonderful job and all, but I still feel that emptiness in that implanted smile. Seeing that new heart on him made a single teardrop fall, and I thought I was out of tears to shed. It was beautiful, and stood out from the aged appearance on the rest of the doll.

A hand is suddenly outstretched before me. I take it tentatively and rise to my feet.

The boy’s taller than I expected him to be. He must be well over six feet tall, putting me at about maybe a half foot or more shorter. We spend what feels like an eternity just staring into each other’s eyes, peering into the other’s soul. We may have just met, but… I feel like I’ve known him nearly my whole life. There’s that level of comfort and warm safety emanating from him that just feels comfortable and oh so familiar.

“Oh, um… Here’s your backpack,” he says, the words spurting out of his mouth as he hands the backpack to me. I take it, but don’t put it back on. I’m too entranced on the figure before me to do anything else. “Well, I… I should probably check to see if there’s any uh, food left in the cafeteria…” he spits out with an awkward chuckle.

My hand darts out to grab his wrist without a single thought.

“Wait…” The word barely makes it past my dry lips. I quickly wet them with my tongue before biting my lip. We stand motionless for a while, once again making intense eye contact the whole time.

I finally step forward, throwing my arms around the taller boy’s torso and squeezing his body against mine.

That familiar mysterious warmth that I grew up with surrounded me again, only this time the source was from the boy returning my embrace with his long arms. He nuzzled against the side of my face, enhancing the warm, tingly feeling surging throughout my body.

“Thank you,” I whisper. My eyes scrunch closed yet again at just how honestly I meant that.

“Anything for you, buddy,” he whispers back. His familiar voice sends chills down my spine. We loosen our embrace to once again look into each other’s eyes. I feel a pull I can’t explain, and my face seems to move closer to the boy’s on its own accord. My eyes get increasingly heavy. The second they’re completely shut, I feel the boy’s soft lips on mine. A heavy weight feels to have fallen from my shoulders as we move as one. I’ve never felt more at home than I do right at this moment. I don’t want it to ever end.

Eventually, we break. The boy rests his forehead against mine with a giddy smile. “I’ve wanted to do that for years… I’m glad I finally did,” he whispers, just barely understandable.  
I chuckle softly, keeping my voice level with his. “Me too…

… Rhett.”


End file.
